When you think of tourist attractions your mind normally goes to ancient ruins, famous plazas etc. But these shopping malls are so famous they have become tourist attractions in their own right. These renowned 9 shopping malls are worth visiting on their own merit.

1. The Kaufhaus des Westens

The Kaufhaus des Westens (aka the west mall) is the largest shopping mall on continental Europe with around 180,000 visitors on a daily basis. The building was built in 1907 in Berlin. Part of it was destroyed in WW2, but was rebuilt an opened again between 1950-1955.

2. The Busan

The Busan shopping mall in Shinseagae, South Korea is the largest shopping mall in the world as it occupies a massive area of 5,487,595 sq. ft over two large buildings. This luxurious shopping centre houses an ice rink, a golf course (!) and a huge spa with a garden on the highest floor.

3. Haussmann

The flagship of the Lafayette Galleries chain is its impressive mall on Haussmann Avenue in Paris. It was established in 1895.

4. Harrods

Arguably the most famous shopping mall in the world is Harrods, in London. It is worth visiting even if just to sit and eat at one of its 27 restaurants. A modest grocery store in the 1830s, Harrods now employs 5,000 people and has 330 departments.

5. Isetran

Isetran is a shopping mall in Tokyo, Japan and is considered one of the country’s trendiest. A whole level is dedicated to budding Japanese fashion designers.

6. The Bergdorf Goodman

The Bergdorf Goodman is on New York’s 5th Avenue in Manhattan. The hyper-luxurious shopping mall has eight levels with top fashion labels, a cafeteria and a restaurant. It first opened in 1899 as a small tailor shop and was renovated to the classy Vanderbilt mansion in 1928.

7. The Gum

The Gum is a mall in Moscow and stands out for its unique glass skylight (made up of 20,000 glass panels). It has 3 floors filled with expansive merchandise. The elegant store was erected in the Red Square in 1890.

8. Selfridge

An American named Harry Selfridge set up the famous homonym mall in the UK in 1909. Selfridge himself design the grand building in a corner on Oxford Street. The mall is known for its innovations, while it once hosted the largest bookstore in the world.

9. Macy

Another famous New York mall is Macy located on Harold’s Square. It was built in 1858 as a small dry products store. It is a landmark of New York and is considered a part of the ‘Big Apple’s’ cultural heritage. It was built in 1902 and was the first shopping centre to have escalators.